MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris football team ended non-conference play with an emphatic 49-19 victory over visiting Lawrence University on Saturday at Big Cat Stadium. The win improves the Cougars to 1-3 on the season.

The game didn't get off to the greatest start for Minnesota Morris, but an opening touchdown by Lawrence on its first possession was erased in an instant when Izayah Boss took a pitch from Marcus Reeb and went 50 yards to the house on the first play from scrimmage for the Cougars. The extra point from Alex Happ tied the game at 7-7.

The Lawrence offense went back to work on its second drive and once again hit paydirt when quarterback Jack Sweeney scrambled away from pressure and scurried 16 yards on a long third-down play. The extra point from Christopher Lozano missed wide left, leaving the Vikings out in front, 13-7.

By the end of the first quarter, Minnesota Morris had taken the lead for good. Keyton Johnson started the second Cougar drive by ripping an 11-yard gain up the middle to take the ball to midfield. Four plays later, Reeb found Boss in the flat and the sophomore running back did the rest, maneuvering past the Lawrence defense for a 30-yard touchdown. Happ's extra point made it 14-13 and the final play of the quarter was a sack by Chayce Meyer and Austin Sterling from the Minnesota Morris defense to force the Vikings to punt to open the second quarter.

Minnesota Morris added another touchdown on its third drive. After softening the Lawrence defense up with three straight runs, Reeb went over the top to hit Cameron Whitney with a 32-yard touchdown pass for a 21-13 edge. 

Lawrence finally stopped Minnesota Morris for the first time on the fourth possession of the contest for the Cougars. The Vikings then went 43 yards in seven plays to score on a two-yard run from Sweeney. Lozano again missed an extra point, leaving the score 21-19 in favor of UMN Morris.

Late in the half, a pair of 15-yard penalties on the Viking defense helped Minnesota Morris add to its lead heading into the break. Johnson finished the drive off with a 16-yard touchdown run to give the Cougars a 28-19 advantage.

After coming up empty of its opening two chances with the ball in the third quarter, the Minnesota Morris defense set the offense up for success. The Cougars were unsuccessful on a fourth-and-goal to give Lawrence the ball back, but the ensuing play resulted in a fumble and Carter Maurice fell on the ball to give UMN Morris a fresh set of downs inside the five-yard line. Reeb wasted no time, faking a hand-off and taking it in himself to stake the Cougars to a 35-19 lead.

Following a three-and-out for the Vikings on their next possession, Minnesota Morris went back to the ground game and continued to gouge the LU defense. Johnson moved the ball into Lawrence territory with a 15-yard gain and Boss followed with a 49-yard touchdown run for a 42-19 edge entering the final quarter.

Early on in the fourth, Johnson took a run up the gut and bounced it outside, eventually getting taken down at the Lawrence one-yard line after a 54-yard gain. The Cougars went back to Johnson on the next play, letting him hit cash things in for a 49-19 lead.

After that, the defense took care of things as Lawrence increasingly had to go to the air. A 13-play drive from the Vikings was snuffed out with sacks from Maurice and Gregory Ohman. The Cougars went back to the ground to pick up a pair of first downs late in the game and then were able to kneel out the clock.

Minnesota Morris finished the day with 387 rushing yards and 512 yards of total offense. Boss was the leading rusher in the game with 15 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns, plus two catches for 37 yards and another score. Johnson had 19 carries for 155 yards and two scores, while Reeb added eight carries for 33 yards and a touchdown. Reeb was 8-of-13 for 125 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Gavin Paulson ended as the leading tackler in the game for Minnesota Morris with 10 (one solo) and a fumble recovery. Hunter Infanger had nine tackles (four solo) and three pass break-ups. Meyer had seven tackles (two solo) to go along with three pass-breakups and a quarterback hurry. Maurice added seven tackles (four solo) with a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery.

UMAC play begins next week for Minnesota Morris with a trip to Fulton, Mo. to face Westminster College on Oct. 1 at 12 p.m.